LAPORTE — Billy Eugene Hooper, 67, LaPorte, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017. Billy was born on Feb. 11, 1950, in Fairfield, Ill., to Norval and Jenny Brock Hooper.

Phyllis A. Walser, 74, Claypool, died at 7:35 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, in Mason Health and Rehabilitation Center, Warsaw.  Arrangements are pending with McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw.

Russell C. Hoffert, 97, Warsaw, died Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Parkview-Randalia Hospital, Fort Wayne.  Arrangements are pending with McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw.

NORTH MANCHESTER — Douglas L. Willcox, 67, Warsaw, died at 4:34 p.m. Nov. 10, 2017, in Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne. He was born Oct. 18, 1950, in Wabash County, to Claude R. and Darl Wagner Willcox. His mother survives in Warsaw. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps for four years.  No calling is planned. Services will be private.  Burial will be in Speicher Cemetery, Urbana. Arrangements were entrusted to McKee Mortuary, North Manchester. ***** Memorials to Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, P.O. Box 5, Huntertown, IN 46748. Condolences may be sent at mckeemortuary.com.

NORTH MANCHESTER — Martha L. Yohe, 92, North Manchester, died at 7 a.m. Nov. 8, 2017, in Timbercrest Senior Living Community, North Manchester.

Gordon H. Vanator, a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County, passed away at 11:19 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Fort Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital. He was 83 years old.

Phyllis A. Walser, 74, Claypool, died at 7:35 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, in Mason Health and Rehabilitation Center, Warsaw. 

HEMET, Calif. — Frank Greco, 88, passed away peacefully at his California home Nov. 2, 2017, of congestive heart failure.

Jerry Joe Christner, 75, Warsaw, passed away at 10:35 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, at Community Hospital of Bremen.

TAMPA, Fla. — Paul T. Danielson, 84, Tampa, Fla., passed away Friday, Oct. 27, 2017.

Frances J. Miller, 93, formerly of Greenville, Ohio, went to her heavenly home at 3:10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6, 2017, at Warsaw Meadows Care Center, Warsaw.

John J. Hale, 81, Warsaw, died at 10:36 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Mason Health Care and Rehabilitation, Warsaw.

Donald J. Ward, 70, Warsaw, died at 2:54 a.m. today, Nov. 8, 2017, in Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne.

Gordon Vanator, Claypool, died at 11:19 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne. Arrangements are pending at Titus Funeral Home, Warsaw.  

 PIERCETON — Berneice M. Curtis, 99, Claypool, passed away at 12:08 p.m. Nov. 8, 2017, in Kosciusko Community Hospital. On Oct. 7, 1918, in North Judson, she was born to Edward and Nadine Carter Lane. She was united in marriage to Raymond Eugene Curtis on Oct. 28, 1939, in Goshen.

Ralph DeLoy Sprong, 87, Warsaw, passed away peacefully at 1:28 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in his residence.

NORTH WEBSTER — Carolyn Kay Darke, 80, North Webster, passed away at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, at her home.  She was born Aug. 15, 1937, in Morgantown, W.Va., to Kenneth Charles and Virginia Ruth Hebb Beall. She graduated from high school and was married July 1, 1967, in Livonia, Mich., to Eugene S. “Gene” Darke, who survives.  She worked in real estate and mortgage financing in Michigan and Tennessee for 30-plus years.  She moved to the North Webster area in 2008 from Fairview, Ore. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and found her greatest joy in loving and caring for her family.  She is survived by her husband, Gene Darke, North Webster; five daughters: Nancy Benedetti, San Diego, Calif.; Susan (Jamie) Pizzuto, Fairview; Sharon (Duane) Dalian, Howell, Mich.; Debbie (Chris) Powers, Lacey, Wash.; and Stacey (Kevin) Bell, Syracuse; a son, Earl (Cheryl) Nuckolls, Howell; and many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers: Buddy, Melvin and Larry Beall. Cremation will take place at Cremation Services of Kosciusko County, Warsaw.  A private family celebration of life will take place at a later date.  Owen Family Funeral Home, North Webster, is in charge of arrangements. ***** Memorials to Great Lakes Hospice, 334 Enterprise Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580.  To send condolences to the family in memory of Carolyn Darke, visit www.owenfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Donald J. Ward, 70, Warsaw, passed away at 2:54 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017, in Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne.  He was born July 7, 1947, in Gulfport, Miss., to D.B. and Adrian Crebs Ward. 

NORTH MANCHESTER — Dawn Addair, 39, Liberty Mills, died at             7:44 a.m. Nov. 7, 2017, in Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne. She was born April 11, 1978, in Welch, W.Va., to Rocky Addair Sr. and Barbara Roberts. Her companion is David Francis Sr., Liberty Mills. 

Jerry J. Christner, 75, Warsaw, died at 10:35 p.m. Nov. 9, 2017, in Community Hospital of Bremen. Arrangements are pending with Redpath-Fruth Funeral ?Home, Warsaw.  

SYRACUSE — Darlene L. Phillips, 73, Syracuse, died at 4:08 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, at her home.  Arrangements are pending at Owen Family Funeral Home, Syracuse.  

MENTONE — Barbara Jean Smith, 87, Davie, Fla., formerly of Mentone, died Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, at Covenant Village, Plantation, Fla. Barbara was born Dec. 25, 1929, the daughter of Charles N. Cooper and Ethel Gaskill Cooper in Tippecanoe. She graduated from Tippecanoe High School in 1948. As a teenager she worked with her parents, who owned and operated The Telephone Company in Tippecanoe. 

Frances M. Armey, 94, Warsaw, passed away at 4:55 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Mason Healthcare and Rehabilitation, Warsaw. 

John J. Hale, 81, Warsaw, passed away at 10:36 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Mason Health Care and Rehabilitation, Warsaw.  He was born May 20, 1936, in Noble County, to John Anderson and Ina Pearl Hale.

NORTH WEBSTER – Carolyn Kay Darke, 80, North Webster, died at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, at her home.  Arrangements are pending at Owen Family Funeral Home, North Webster.